


quite a ways

by avarry



Category: Inception (2010)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst with a Happy Ending, F/M, M/M, Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-06-29
Updated: 2013-06-29
Packaged: 2017-12-16 12:38:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,339
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/862119
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/avarry/pseuds/avarry
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ariadne lies still between wakefulness and slumber. She dreams of Dom and his smiling face, of future where Dom feels the same way. She closes her eyes and basks in it. In the waking world, they're miles apart. Ariadne loves him still but Dom does not.</p>
            </blockquote>





	quite a ways

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Haywire](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Haywire/gifts).



She tries to grasp at the remnants of the dream. It was a good dream, a PASIV-free dream. 

It was a summer in the beach, the heat of the sun not overly warm, the breeze salty and Dom’s face stretched in a wide smile. Ariadne tries to remember Dom’s face, the lines of laughter and the crinkle of his eyes. She keeps it close to her heart as she feels the grip of morning.

The heat of summer in this part of Paris is morbid; the light of the sun prickles her eyes. Now that she’s aware of the warmth, Ariadne also hears sounds. There is a knock on her door, a staccato rhythm that can only belong to one person. Ariadne tries to burry herself under pillows but it is futile. The person on the other side of her door has turned from a staccato rhythm to something remotely resembling the beat of an old song she distinctly remembers hearing once upon a time ago. And so Ariadne drags herself away from bed, pillow still clutched to her chest, eyes still closed. She opens the door and trudges back to bed. 

“And good morning to you too dear.” Eames goes straight to her kitchen. Ariadne can smell coffee and freshly baked croissants from the bags Eames is holding. She guesses it is from the cafe two blocks from her apartment.

“Get your ass here dear and eat your breakfast, we need to talk.” Ariadne cringes inside. She knows it’s not about work because they’ve talked about this before and she has already told them that she would finish her studies first before even remotely considering a work in the dream sharing business. No, Ariadne knows it is not even remotely close to dream sharing. She wishes the soon to be topic of conversation may as well be about Yusuf’s sex life it gets her away from the inevitable conversation.

“I’m not awake enough for that conversation.” 

“Thus the coffee,” Ariadne hears Eames walk to her bed and perch himself on the bedside table. The smell of coffee is strong so Eames probably brought the coffee with him.

She lies back and looks at the ceiling, heaves a sigh before turning her head to look at Eames. He has a small smile on his lips, a cup of steaming coffee billowing smoke. She looks at Eames intently. And thinks he looks good. There are no dark circles under his eyes, even his skin looks healthy. Ariadne figures he must have been with Arthur if he looks well rested and happy. This does not spell well for her.

Ariadne waits for the inevitable.

“You haven’t been answering any of my calls,” Eames voice is warm and soft. Ariadne smiles at the knowledge that Eames always plays the good cop in her interrogations and interventions. Arthur is the one that delivers the tough love. Eames, though, always has the last say in the matter.

She scrubs the sleep from her eyes and breathes a deep breath. She takes the coffee from Eames and drinks. The coffee is bitter and scalding. She burns her tongue but doesn’t stop gulping.

“I was busy with final requirements and forms for graduation.”

“You’ve been finished with all of those a week ago. You didn’t answer any of our calls this week.” Eames states this easily. Sometimes, it slips Ariadne’s mind that these people are known for their ability to steal secrets from people’s minds.

“It’s good to know that you’ve been with Arthur. You look rested, healthy and truly debauched.”

Eames smiles a lazy smile at her. “While I am astounded by your elementary deduction and warmed by your obvious implication of affection, you’re not getting out of this. You’re stewing in this horrid apartment.”

“I’ve been catching up on sleep and the latest season of Downton Abbey.” Not so much as a lie as omission of truth. Won’t make much of a difference, Ariadne knows, still worth the effort though. She stands up and goes to the small kitchen and opens the bag of croissants Eames brought. She takes one and nibbles at it. 

“Darling, we both know, you watch no such thing. No, you’ve been stewing in this forsaken apartment probably drowning yourself in cheap wine and horrid telly.” Eames makes the bed and wrinkles his nose at the state of the room. He takes of his jacket and starts wiping his brow. 

“No one in their right mind would sit and watch Downton Abbey in this sorry excuse of habitat. The air conditioning is broken and your telly is ancient.” He emphasizes this with a tap on the old telly Ariadne got in a flea market five years ago. “Why are you still here again?”

“Because it’s near the university and because I really want to save that money for after.” Ariadne whacks Eames hand away from rapping at her telly and settles on the lumpy couch. 

“After what exactly?”

“After. After this... this. You know, uni and this.” She wrings her hands and scatters crumbs on the floor.

“You make perfect sense of course. Save up for later when you can earn a ton of money in the job you’ll be entering. Yep, truly a genius.” Eames rolls his eyes and sits beside her. He faces her and looks at her intently. Ariadne heaves a sigh and looks backs.

“We worry about you darling. You not answering our calls sends Arthur to hysterics. We know you haven’t gone under after the Dom thing but we can’t help but worry.” Willingly getting trapped under is unspoken, living in limbo for eternity not even implied. Ariadne won’t lie and say she hasn’t thought about it but she knows better than that, most of the time.

“I know. I’m sorry. If it’s any consolation, I haven’t touched a PASIV since...” Ariadne finds her coffee interesting, the swirling patterns holding the secrets of the universe.

Eames snaps his fingers in front of Ariadne’s face. When she turns to him, he has a bright smile and just a tiny bit of mischief twinkling in his eyes. “It’s a great consolation dear but enough bout that business. We really have to get out of your apartment and go somewhere with a working air conditioner and substantial food before we talk any further.”

Ariadne smiles and stands up. “Sure thing dear.”

The day passes by in a blur. Eames drags her to different cafes and museums she has been time and time again. Eames makes her give him a running commentary on anything and everything. 

Ariadne knows Eames has been to each of those museums before, that he knows more about each of them by heart. He has a wealth of knowledge Ariadne can’t compete with. She also knows that it is his way of cheering her up. 

By the end of the day, they stop at a deli to have dinner, everything on Eames. 

They’re in the middle of the meal when Ariadne braves the reason why they’re both here.

“Miles invited Dom to the graduation.”

Eames stops mid-story, hands still hanging in the air from his elaborate story about a rat and a man in middle of the desert. 

“And?”

“And I don’t know if I’m ready to see him.” Her voice is quiet; she strips her meal with her fingers and refuses to meet Eames’s eyes. 

“I just... I don’t know what to do.” Ariadne can taste bitter bile at the back of her throat; the painful rejection is still fresh in her mind as if it was just that morning. Dom’s ‘It’s all a mistake’ and ‘I think we shouldn’t see each other for a while’ still ringing in her ears. 

“How about this,” Eames touches her hands she hasn’t realized she has clasped together, knuckles turning white. “We’ll go there and if Dom acts stupid, I’ll deck him. That sound better?” 

Ariadne can’t help but smile at his antics. It’s heart-warming to know that she has friends that care for her. She doesn’t mind too much that they’re his friends first. They’re friends now and they will stand up for her when she can’t anymore. 

“I’ll really like that. I’ll even let you get the diploma with me.” 

Eames smiles at her and continues his story about the rat and the man in the middle of the desert.

 

A week after finds Ariadne slipping into a black dress and high heels. Her hair is up in a do and her face dusted with a light make-up. She grabs her jacket and bag from the lumpy couch and goes straight to the crickety elevator. She hails a cab and off handedly gives instruction to the cabbie.

The great hall is filled to the brim, there are families gathered in corners, friends touching up each other’s make-up, boys talking potential work and possible salary. Off to one side of the hall, Ariadne spots Arthur and Eames bickering. It’s mostly Arthur talking in hushed tones to an Eames who seem to be nonchalant and is just smiling at him in return. 

Ariadne can’t help smiling at them. She walks to them intent on interrupting their discussion when someone tugs at her dress. Ariadne turns to see James. His tiny hands are fisted on her dress, an open face looking at her intently.

She can’t help the hitch in her breath as she looks at James’s open face. Ariadne bends down and takes his hands in hers. “Well hello there big guy.”

James laughs at her and hugs her. Ariadne closes her yes and hugs him tightly. She picks him up and leans him on her hips, uncaring if her dress gets crinkled.

“You look really pretty Ari,” James eyes are huge as he touches her pearl earrings and her tinted cheeks. Ariadne can’t help but smile at him.

“Well you look dashing as well James.” Ariadne kisses his forehead and hugs him tighter. James lets out a startled laugh.

“Why don’t you come over anymore Ari, we miss you!’ James holds her face in his tiny hands. Ariadne can’t help the tug in her heart at James’s words. ‘Was it because daddy was sick? He says he’ll be okay but we think he’s still sick.” There is accusation and worry in his voice. Ariadne can’t help but worry at that. She never heard Dom getting sick or still being sick from either Arthur or Eames. 

Ariadne is about to ask about his daddy being sick when someone taps her arm. When she looks, she sees Philippa standing there. Her hair has grown longer and it’s swept away with a simple hand. She’s wearing the little pink dress Ariadne picked out for her on one of their Sunday mall trips.

Philippa has a little smile on her lips. “James is wrong. We didn’t think Daddy was sick. I think he just misses you that’s why he hasn’t been sleeping much or eating much which made him grumpy all over.”

Ariadne is surprised at the laughter that escapes her. She forgot how direct and tactless Philippa can sometimes be. Where James is all sweet bubbles and fluffy clouds, Philippa has grown to a young lady tough as steel but still warm like sunshine. 

James burrows his head on her shoulder and Ariadne lets him rest. Philippa stands by her side and nudges her with her elbow. Ariadne looks at her expectantly. Ariadne is not sure what Philippa is waiting for here so she doesn’t say anything. 

“James, Philippa, come here and stop bother Ari. She still needs to prepare for her graduation.” Dom’s voice is still exactly as Ariadne remembers it, quiet but confident. She swallows thickly as she slowly turns around. 

Dom stands there in a charcoal gray suit. Ariadne notices looks at him in increments, from his overly polished shoes to the perfect press of his pants. Dom is wearing the tie she gave him for Christmas last year. She raises her eyes to his face and notices that Dom has indeed lost weight. His eyes are rimmed and his face is sallow like he hasn’t had a moment of rest. Ariadne can feel the concern bubbling inside her. The want to reach out and touch him and take care of him is strong. It tugs at her gut. She has just enough time to stop herself from reaching out to him. Instead, she stands still and looks at Dom. She looks at his eyes and see him looking at her in return.

For a moment, everything stands still and fades away and they are left in the middle of the great hall, two people caught in the middle of something unidentified, unable to move. 

Ariadne can feel James trying to wriggle free from her but Ariadne can’t bring herself to move to lower him down. She’s stock still again like those many months ago. Like then, she is pinned by Dom’s stare. 

“As much as entertaining as this is, we really all do have to get a move on,” Eames voice breaks the reverie and Ariadne’s head snaps to him. He smiles at her and holds out his hands for James. She gives James to him and slowly turns back to find Dom walking to Arthur. 

Eames nudges her and she turns, “Later dear. You’ll have time to talk to him later.’ Ariadne can only nod. ‘Now though, I really think you should go and line up before you forget to attend your own graduation.”

Ariadne smiles tentatively and turns to the back of the hall toward her fellow graduates.

 

When her name is called for the receiving of the diploma, it’s Arthur and Eames who goes up the stage with her. They all smile for the camera Philippa is holding. Ariadne can feel Dom watching them but the stage lights prevent her from seeing beyond Philippa and her camera.

Throughout the ceremony, Ariadne feels tension curl and uncurl in her stomach. In theory, it was a walk in the park, she would see Dom off in the distance discussing a matter or another with Miles and he would not even bother to look up and to find Ariadne in the throng of people. Before they all leave for their normal lives, they will pass each other once and she will give him a small smile and a nod before she moves on to walking out of the university and into a formless new life. He would give her a tentative smile too and then he will go back to discussing something with Miles, probably a trip for the kids to somewhere cold and snowy. Philippa always did like snow after all. 

In theory, after what happened to them, they should move on with their lives and not even spare a second glance or even a spare thought to each other. In theory, Ariadne should not even care about Dom anymore. Ariadne knows though, in the face of real life, all theory eventually is proven wrong. 

The emcee gives her last congratulations and people start milling about, meeting their families and their friends for a well-earned celebration. Ariadne is unsure of what to do. Having to see Dom again so soon after such a long time of not being able to makes her head spin. It is inevitable that they meet and that they talk but she can’t help but prolong the agony just a tiny bit.

The decision is taken from Ariadne’s hand by a James barrelling straight for her. He has his hands up, quietly demanding that he be picked up. She gives him a smile and picks him up. Philippa is right on his heels, she snaps a picture of them and Ariadne can’t help but smile. Philippa makes funny faces at his brother and James erupts in uncontrollable giggles. Ariadne can’t help but join their childish antics. She laughs along with them. In that moment, she feels like this is where she belongs, with these two kids. She doesn’t feel anything but warmth and love for these kids. 

Their round of laughter sees them end with leaning at each other. James hugs her neck and Philippa clings to her arms. “We miss you so much. Come back?” Philippa whispers to her. Ariadne doesn’t have the heart to tell her that she wants, she does but she can’t. Dom isn’t ready for someone else to be there. Not yet. Ariadne isn’t sure if he ever will be. And so, she hugs both kids and closes her eyes, takes everything in and keeps it close to her heart for until the next time they see each other again.

“James, Philippa,” Dom’s voice rings and she loosens her embrace on Philippa but keeps James close to her. She looks up and sees Dom with Arthur and Eames. She isn’t sure how long they’ve been watching her but she suddenly feels uncomfortable. She turns to James and kisses him on the cheeks before setting him down. She turns and collects her things from her seat, prepared to turn and see that Dom and the kids are gone. This is it, they will leave her and they won’t see each other again. They’re all going to move on with their lives and Ariadne will have to learn how to do herself.

When she turns though, she sees Dom holding one of James hands and Philippa looking at her expectantly. “Any slower and we’ll be eating on my graduation.” Philippa’s jibe makes her smile; it’s a promise of today and many tomorrows. Of course it can also be just what it was, a simple jive that meant nothing more. But hope spring eternal and Ariadne can’t help as it bloom in her chest. She immediately tries to squash it down.

She smiles and replies a curt “Of course.” She is about to walk when Dom opens his other hand not holding James. He offers it to her palms up. Ariadne’s breath catches and for a second, she is not sure what to do.

Philippa sighs a dramatic sigh and grabs her hands and links it with Dom’s. Ariadne brows furrow in confusion. She can’t be possibly holding Dom’s hand when just two months ago, he can’t even look at her directly. But apparently this is true because Dom squeezes her hands and softly tugs her. Ariadne doesn’t move though, she stays rooted on the spot. 

“Are you done being all weird about this? Can we please get a move on? I’m hungry.” Philippa gives them an un-amused look. She takes James from her father and walks forward to where Arthur and Eames are waiting. 

“Come with us? Come with me?” Dom’s voice is quiet when he asks. Ariadne turns to him and feels queasy with anticipation. This is what she wants, to belong beside Dom; be where he is, everyday and always. It warms her heart and makes it beat like it’s in a marathon. But the fear and anxiety settles in slowly. Bitterness rears its ugly head and whispers promise of heartache, of Dom being not being strong enough to fight for this; how eventually, Dom will leave her in worse pieces than before.

Ariadne swallows thickly. At the end of the day, she doesn’t care about heartaches. At the end of the day, the truth still stands.

Ariadne loves Dom. And in that moment, that Sunday afternoon, amidst the throngs of graduates of the university, all hot and heavy air, it is still true.

And in that moment, Dom loves her too.

And so without reservation, she looks up at quirks her lips, “Of course.” She tugs him to where Arthur and Eames are standing, a little James sitting on the floor and an impatient Philippa swaying back and forth. 

“All well in paradise now?” Eames lilting voice greets them when they arrive. Dom doesn’t answer and Ariadne just smiles. A lot had to still be talked about. They’re quite a ways from there but they’ve already begun the journey and it makes her smile.

**Author's Note:**

> This is the first proper fanfic I've written in years. This is also my first exchange of any kind. I'm sorry if I'm rusty and totally inexperienced..  
> To Haywire: I hope you enjoy reading this as much as I've enjoyed writing it. Thank you for the request. It was a joy to write. Eames/Arthur is implied but not tooo heavily, so I hope you don't mind. I'm not too sure about the ending but I hope you like it.


End file.
